Domestic
Hollywood’s writers strike was declared over after nearly five months Tuesday night. Union board members approved a contract agreement with studios, bringing the industry at least partly back from a historic halt in production. The governing boards of the eastern and western branches of the Writers Guild of America and their joint negotiating committee all voted to accept the deal, and two days later, the tentative agreement was reached with a coalition of Hollywood’s biggest studios, streaming services and production companies. After the vote they declared that the strike would be over and writers would be free to start on scripts at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. The contracts were released for the first time to the writers, who had not yet been given any details on the deal, following the vote, but they had to do with regulating artificial intelligence, a raise in wages and much more. Their leaders called the contracts “exceptional.”
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and his wife have been charged with bribery over their alleged acceptance of “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in return for the use of the senator’s influence to enrich three New Jersey businessmen and benefit the Egyptian government, according to an indictment filed in Manhattan federal court that was made public Friday. The charges include conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right. The bribes the couple received included “cash, gold bars, payments toward a home mortgage, compensation for a low-or-no-show job, a luxury vehicle and other items of value,” the indictment alleges. Many of Menendez’s Democratic colleagues have called on him to resign, including one he serves with, Sen. Cory Booker. Menendez makes no indication he will resign before the verdict of his trial. He and his wife both pleaded not guilty to federal corruption and bribery charges in Manhattan federal court Wednesday.
The U.S. is headed toward a government shutdown this weekend unless Congress takes action soon. Government funding expires when the clock strikes 12:01 a.m. Sunday, and lawmakers are still in disagreement about aiding Ukraine. As Congress debates a plan, government operations that Americans rely on and paychecks for millions of federal workers hang in the balance. Congress is in session and trying to work through the logjam. Conservatives in the House have pushed for deep spending cuts that cannot pass the Democratic-controlled Senate. And they’re threatening Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s job. Meanwhile, the Senate released a plan to keep the government funded through Nov. 17, along with some aid for Ukraine and FEMA funding. But it’s unclear whether House Republicans will accept it. McCarthy suggested yesterday that a meeting with President Joe Biden to resolve the issue would be “very important,” but the White House has rejected that after the speaker blew up a previous spending agreement, saying the current crisis is up to Republicans to fix.
International
The U.S. soldier who sprinted into North Korea across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas two months ago was released into American custody, the White House announced Wednesday. Earlier, North Korea had said it would expel Pvt. Travis King though some had expected the North to drag out his detention in hopes of squeezing concessions from Washington D.C. at a time of high tensions between the two countries. “U.S. officials have secured the return of Private Travis King from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement. “We appreciate the dedication of the interagency team that has worked tirelessly out of concern for Private King’s wellbeing.”
Russia accused Ukraine’s Western allies of helping plan and conduct last week’s missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters on the annexed Crimean Peninsula on Wednesday. “There is no doubt that the attack had been planned in advance using Western intelligence means, NATO satellite assets and reconnaissance planes and was implemented upon the advice of American and British security agencies and in close coordination with them,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing. Moscow has repeatedly claimed that the U.S. and its NATO allies have effectively become involved in the conflict by supplying weapons to Ukraine, providing them with intelligence information and helping plan attacks on Russian facilities.
Azerbaijan said it arrested the former head of Nagorno-Karabakh’s separatist government as he tried to cross into Armenia on Wednesday along with tens of thousands of others who fled the region following Azerbaijan’s 24-hour blitz last week to reclaim control of the enclave. The arrest of Ruben Vardanyan was announced by Azerbaijan’s border guard service. It appears to reflect Azerbaijan’s intention to quickly and forcefully enforce its grip on the region after the military offensive that has prompted a rapid exodus of tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians.
